Hi, I am new but now 38 and have had diagnosis for 10 years. Does anyone have the pain sometimes, (mine at night) in bone between breasts that radiates around to back. Feels like it could be a heart attack. Kind of like muscle spasm. Had this years ago,and now back, but with some heart burn. Had x rays there showed nothing few years ago.

Just went off effexor for anxiety and I am telling you all that most of my pains were gone taking it. Never realized until I came off it that it was helping fibro and ankylosing so...much. Karen

I've had this for years. My internist did a physical exam and dx'd me. I have to admit I'd been complaining to her about pain in my sternum for years and she never thought about costochondritis until she found the rib tenderness. You may be able to confirm it by testing for tenderness between your ribs, usually on the left side, I think between rib 4 and 5.

I also had a bone scan that showed inflammation in the costochondral joints in my chest.

I do side stretches (sit on the bed, bend over to the side until my head and hand touch the bed). They help some, but nothing helps when I get the awful pain in my chest except painkillers (I can't take NSAIDs) and rest.

The pain that radiates around to my back is muscle guarding. It affects the large muscle next to my spine and a little below my shoulder blade. Nothing but NSAIDs or massage (a lot of massage) has ever helped relax this muscle. I get charlie horse cramps if I lay down on my back and often during the day. A fist in the back leaning against a chair usually stops them. Long before my internist dx'd me, massage therapists kept telling me something was wrong on my left side as it was much tighter than the right.

I did have an EKG just to rule out heart problems.

With the AS I just look at the costo as another, possibly related, inflammatory process.

Hi All,I was looking through the messages this AM and saw Karen's question on the pain between the Breasts.I thought I was going to literally DIE when it happened to me the first time. I was taking a long awaited trip to see my Brother.On the airplane I started to doze off and I was suddenly awakened by severe pain between my breast causing me to have to gasp for air because the pain was so severe....Fortunately I had been warned by my Doctor that sometimes this can happen at any time.What he didnt tell me was that the pain would knock my socks off. Anyway, upon my arrival I immediatley called the Dr. and he made me take Antibiotics because he said my Thorax was inflamed.He must of been right because I flew home and was fine...Since then it has happened to me several times and boy it can take your breath away. I cant wear underwire Bras anymore..and I practice control over panic...(sometimes to no avail)So dont think its you...You are not alone..This is a bizarre disease and for me it has attacked joints, muscles and things I never even knew I had...All the Best..Deb

1st post. 39 y/o female. just got dx. just rec'd rustult that i have the genetic marker, after about 10 years. 1st noticed intermitent severe pain in SI region. (called it 'hip pain' at the time) now with my ct results i realize it was my SI joints going south.

anyway.. writing now because i am interested in the experiences of the sternum and rib pain. i have been waking up with upper back and thoracic pain for over a year. (would love to say it comes and goes.) i am just lucky if it wakes me up later rather than earlier. in the past week i have notices that i have a rib protruding out, next to my sternum. anyone have this kind of thing. my PT felt it and and said it is a sublux of the head of my rib.after myofacial release, he tried to gently push it back in place. no sig pain at the time. but terrible pain that woke my up that night.

Hello, I completely understand the type of pain your talking about. Iíve been in physical therapy where Iíve learned a great exercise that helps you learn to breathe better without causing pain. I hope it helps. Email me for more info if the below is confusing. I can scan pictures of the exercise and send it to you. ∑ Lay on your rt side w/toe on a wall, ankles and knees together an your back rounded.∑ Place a balloon in your lft hand, lower arm under your head and upper hand on the floor to stabilize. Keep toes on wall.∑ Slide and guide your left hip backward as far as you can w/o extending your back. ∑ Lift up or turn out your left thigh. Then lift up or turn in your right thigh.∑ Keeping your toes on the wall and both knees raised from the table, shift your left hip back to even further without extending your back.∑ Then inhale through your nose and slowly blow out into the balloon.∑ Pause 3 second with tongue on the roof of your mouth to prevent airflow out of the balloon. (Youíre holding in the balloon by holding the air in your chest.)∑ Without pinching the neck of the balloon, take another breath in through your nose. Slowly blow out again, adding more air to the balloon. ∑ Do not strain your neck or cheeks as you blow. Do this about three times, which will blow up the balloon. ∑ Take the balloon out of your mouth, let the air out and do this 3 or 4 more times. Do this exercise 2-3 times a day.